Alpha Iota
by Sailor Ascension
Summary: Slightly AU story of a new threat to the Earth. The Gundam boys team up with an original character to save the world.
1. Default Chapter

Alpha Iota  
  
Disclaimers, etc: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters, etc. This fic is a little AU, and does contain Yaoi. Neema Heishiro is a character of my own creation, so please don't nick her. ^_^  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
The sun rose lazily over the fire scorched landscape. The hilly terrain was barren of any life, the trees stood pathetically leafless. A light breeze blew through the thick ashes, creating a dense mist. As the ashes cleared, a darkened mass shimmered in the faint sunlight.  
A mechanical noise echoed ominously across the inhospitable landscape. The mass began to move slowly forward, its metallic surface glinting in the direct sunlight.  
As more of the intricate bodywork moved into the light, the more impressive and deadly the machine seemed. Its long pair of legs and arms looked so human, its head, almost a helmet for the pilot cocooned inside of the machine. A long rifle-like gun protruded from its right arm, a shield on the other. The machine was like a mini fortress.  
The ground shook with every footstep, the trees seemed as if they would bend to its every will, almost as if it were their master.  
As the gigantic machine passed over the summit of a hill, the sun rose higher into the clearing sky, seemingly faster than before, as if it were relieved the 'beast' was gone.  
  
***  
  
The interior of the ancient building was lushly decorated. Antique paintings hung on the walls and soft, velvety carpets lined the floors. Heavy oak doors lined the many corridors of the building, works of art designed many centuries ago.  
An elderly man stood before one of the oak doors, tentatively knocking on it. His clothes were wrapped around him neatly, and he stood with an air of confidence, but the look in his eyes was that of fear.  
The door in front of him opened slowly, revealing a slim, fairly short figure.  
"Romért?" The young man said, slightly shocked.  
The older man bowed slightly before he spoke.  
"Sire, we have had several... reports. I'm afraid it isn't good news." He seemed reluctant to continue, as if he didn't want to suffer this young ones wrath.  
"Romért, what's wrong? Please tell me." There was a worried expression on the young man's face. His light blonde hair was ruffled, but his eyes were acutely alert.  
The older man swallowed slowly before he continued his explanation.  
"Sire, there have been several... attacks on our neighbouring provinces. They have been pleading with us to help protect them."  
He halted in his description of the situation to look at the blonde man's face. He seemed calm, almost expectant, so he continued.  
"These attacks have been random as far as we can tell. But... they are so close to this province." He stopped to take a deep breath. "Sire. The attacks are by a Gundam."  
With this revelation, the blonde haired young man took a step back.  
"A... Gundam?" He looked around, almost as if expecting an answer from thin air. His mouth opened and shut, mouthing incomprehensible words. He closed his eyes, shutting out the world.  
"A Gundam. A machine made from Gundanium Alloy. I only know four other people who can pilot them. But..." He fell silent, not wanting to finish the sentence.  
"Master Quatre?" The old man's voice raised in concern.  
Quatre Raberba Winner opened his eyes once more, smiling sadly.  
"Answer the Provinces' calls for help. Send out five soldiers to each Province and have them report back. I want to know what we're up against."  
Romért bowed slightly and rushed away to follow his orders.  
Quatre turned and walked back into the room, closing the door firmly. Sitting before a large communications screen, he pulled out a panel from underneath the desk. Quatre sighed, now he would have to find out who the pilot of this new Gundam was. He knew that it was quite possible someone unknown to him was able to pilot a Gundam and pilot it well, but he feared that this wasn't the case and he would end up battling with an old friend.  
  
***  
  
Trowa Barton walked slowly down the grassy hill, a light breeze blowing across his face. He was back on Earth after five long years. The city that sprawled out before his eyes had changed only a little, and it still held the same splendour it had five years ago.  
With his hands in his trouser pockets, Trowa continued to walk towards the city. He noticed the smell of spices as he walked past the first stone coloured building. A few people passed him, dressed in summer clothes, only interested in their daily business. As he reached the busier district of the city, the crowds began to swell and it was more difficult to move. The sun was already at its peak and the temperature was rising.  
Trowa moved into a side alley that was covered in shade. A few doors lined the walls, and several windows had been pushed open above them.  
This part of the city had changed. Trowa remembered it used to be a run-down area that had been a refuge for stragglers after the war had ended. Now the streets were clear of rubbish and sleeping bodies. The new ruler had definitely cleaned up the city.  
Trowa stepped up to a grainy wooden door and knocked on it twice. After several minutes the door was opened, but only a crack.  
"Who is it?" A meek male voice asked from within the building.  
"Trowa Barton." Trowa said confidently, but quietly.  
The door opened swiftly and Trowa stepped into a dark, musty room. The crack of light from the open door disappeared as the only visible entrance was closed.  
Trowa stood near a wall, his arms folded. He still could see no detail in the room, but noticed there was a table near the back of the room with a chair tucked under it. From the corner, walked a male figure. It was shorter than Trowa, but it walked forward with an air of confidence.  
"Trowa." The voice was full of warmth.  
Trowa unfolded his arms. "Yes." Was his simple reply.  
The figure now stood directly in front of Trowa, he could see light blonde hair.   
"Quatre." He said, his voice softening.  
Quatre looked up into Trowa's eyes. "It's good to see you again after all this time." He put his arms around his friend in a warm embrace.  
Trowa returned the hug.  
Quatre stepped back, a smile on his face. He motioned towards the table. "Let's sit down. We have a lot to talk about."  
Quatre moved to the table, pulled out the chair for Trowa, and dragged up a stool for himself.  
Trowa sat down on the chair, folding his hands on his lap. "So..."  
Quatre leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, looking at Trowa.   
"These attacks have continued regularly since I contacted you. They've been nearing these borders but have never passed over them. The reports I've had back from the men I sent to the four different Provinces have been... well, unsubstantial." He sighed. "I've got barely any information on the Gundam and none on the pilot."  
Trowa looked at Quatre, his face expressionless, but his eyes held a look of sadness.  
"What about the other pilots? Have you been able to contact all of them?"   
Quatre shook his head slightly.  
"I've been able to contact Duo, he should be here within the next few days, but I've had no luck with Heero or Wufei." His head dropped into his hands.  
Trowa laid a hand on Quatre's shoulder.  
"We'll keep trying. But we need to concentrate on what this new Gundam's capable of."  
Quatre nodded in silent agreement. He looked up at Trowa and grasped the hand that was resting on his shoulder. "Thank you, Trowa." He said softly, his voice full of emotion. "Thank you for coming here."  
Trowa nodded, gave Quatre's hand a squeeze and stood up. His eyes told Quatre to come with him.  
Standing up as well, Quatre followed Trowa out of the door, reassuring his attendant before leaving.  
"Where are we going?" Quatre asked as they walked out onto the main street.  
Trowa glanced down at his blonde friend. "To get some information."  
Quatre raised an eyebrow questioningly, but said nothing, knowing that Trowa wouldn't tell him.   
  
The sunlight streamed in through the open window on the upper floor of a back street restaurant. It cast itself across the kind face of Quatre Raberba Winner and the poker face of Trowa Barton. They sat opposite each other at a small wooden table, two cups of coffee had just been placed in front of them.  
A stocky, grimy looking waiter strolled up to the ex-Gundam pilots.  
"You ready to order something to eat?" He asked in a coarse voice.  
Trowa's hand moved up to the side of his head holding a small wadge of money.  
The waiter looked confused. "What's that for?"  
Trowa didn't turn to look at the stocky man, his face was hidden from the waiter by the long bangs that fell down the left side of his face. "Information."  
The waiter looked around him, a bead of sweat collecting on his forehead. He laughed nervously. "We don't serve that here."  
Another note slipped into Trowa's hand.  
The waiter looked around again and then hurriedly pulled up a chair, taking the money from Trowa's hand in one swift movement.  
"Ok, what d'ya want to know, pal?"  
Quatre was about to speak when Trowa held up his other hand, interrupting him.  
Trowa slowly turned his head to face the waiter, his one visible eye locking with the waiter's.  
"I know that you have contact with certain militia members. I want to know about the attacks on the bordering Provinces."  
The waiter's eyes opened in shock. "H-how did ya know?"  
Trowa's expression remained its usual poker style.  
"Err, look mister, I don't know who told you that, but it 'aint true." The waiter wiped several beads of sweat from his forehead.  
Trowa remained silent.  
"Ok, ok. Look, I don't know much." Again he looked around the restaurant. "But I know someone who might be able to tell you something."  
The waiter wrote something on his notepad and passed it across the table to Trowa. Standing swiftly up, he returned his chair to its table and walked away, not looking back.  
Trowa picked up the piece of paper, looked at it briefly and passed it over to Quatre.   
"Neema Heishiro?" Quatre repeated the name that was on the sheet of paper.  
"Kyoto Gym? Hmmm... what do you think?" Quatre looked up expectantly at Trowa.  
"We should check it out." The brown haired man stood up and turned to leave.  
Quatre shrugged and followed Trowa out of the restaurant.  
  



	2. Alpha Iota - Chapter 2

Alpha Iota  
  
Disclaimer: Ok, again I don't own Gundam Wing or any of the copyrighted materials. I also don't have any money, so don't bother trying to sue, cos' you wont get a penny.  
  
Neema Heishiro is a character of my own creation. If you want to use her, please ask first. Also if I see her in another fic, there will be hell to pay. ^_^ Now, enjoy Chapter 2.  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
The tall, brawny man turned away from the two strangers and walked towards a closed door. He glanced back at them, a look of suspicion on his face. Grabbing the handle he hastily opened the door, entered the room and closed the door after him.  
Inside the room, the black haired man looked at the only other occupant.  
"There's two men to see you, miss."  
The young woman looked up from her work, a frown on her face.  
"What do they want?" She asked, a disapproving tone in her voice.  
The older man looked at the floor. "I don't know. They wouldn't say."  
The woman dropped the papers she had in her hand onto the desk. "Oh, great. Well done." She said as she passed the man.  
She left the room, glanced up at the two young men waiting at the entrance, and swiftly walked over to them.  
She stood in front of them, one hand on her hip.  
"Neema Heishiro?" The brown haired one asked.  
"Yes. And you are?"   
"Trowa Barton. This is Quatre Winner." He said, motioning to his associate.  
Quatre offered his hand in greeting, which Neema promptly ignored, directing her attention at Trowa.  
"What do you want?"  
Trowa looked directly into Neema's eyes. "We were told you could give us some information."  
Neema looked back into Trowa's eyes for several moments. She turned away from them.  
"I can tell you about this gym, about martial arts, but that's about it. I don't get a chance to go out much."  
Trowa stepped forward slightly. "That's not what I heard."  
Neema spun round, one eyebrow raised. "And what did you hear, Mr. Barton?"  
"I heard you can give us some information on the recent attacks on the neighbouring Provinces."  
Neema frowned, turned on her heel and entered the room she had come out of. The door was left open as the black haired man who had acted as messenger left. He pointed at the room he had just exited, and the two visitors walked in.  
Neema was sat at a desk, her legs crossed as she looked up at Trowa and Quatre.  
Quatre walked in first and stood in the middle of the room, while Trowa stood off to one side.  
"So, who told you that?" She asked, resting her chin on one hand.  
"That's not important. Have you got the information or not?" Trowa crossed his arms.  
"Depends on what exactly you want to know, and what you're going to give me for it."  
Quatre laughed at her reply. "That's so mercenary."   
"You get nothing for free in this world." She replied, scowling at him.  
Trowa looked over at Quatre before continuing.  
"We want to know about the Gundam, and we'll pay you with a substantial amount of money."  
Neema raised both eyebrows in surprise. She stood up and walked up to Trowa.  
"Who are you? That Gundam has been kept from the public. How did you find out about it?"  
Quatre moved back a step. "Are you... working with it and the pilot?"  
The silvery haired woman looked at the blonde haired man. She laughed.  
"No, Mr. Winner. I am not. I merely know that the public is unaware of the Gundam."  
Neema frowned and stepped closer to Quatre. "I know you, don't I? You're that squirt of a leader, this Province decided to elect."  
Quatre drew back, a little shocked at her words.  
"I'm sorry. I'm not from around here, and I don't really keep up with political affairs." She said apologetically.  
Trowa stepped in-between Quatre and Neema.  
"Can you give us the information or not?"  
Neema turned away from them and crossed her arms. She looked down at the floor, thinking.  
Her head snapped up again.  
"Ok. All the information on the Gundam is on my desk. But, I don't want money for repayment." She turned around, a glint in her eye.  
"I want in on this little operation of yours. I want the information you get, you can have the info I get."  
Trowa shook his head. How could he trust this woman, he didn't know her. Yet she seemed fairly willing to co-operate.  
"I don't think that would be a good idea."  
"Don't worry, I wont get in your way. I work alone." She moved to the desk, piled the papers together and passed them to Trowa.  
"Deal?"  
Trowa took the large pile of paper, and staring at it intently, nodded slightly.  
Quatre looked from Neema to Trowa and back again. He was slightly confused. Trowa must trust this silver haired, silver-eyed woman to accept an offer like that. The blonde-haired Arab walked out the room in deep thought.  
Trowa noticed Quatre leaving and looked at him in mild concern.  
"How will we be able to contact each other?" He asked.  
"Just leave a message here. I'll get back to you at the earliest opportunity."  
She sat back at her desk.  
"Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."  
  
***  
  
Duo Maxwell brushed down his purely black outfit before walking out the hatch. His long brown braid bobbed after him as he happily greeted the staff working at the airport. The day was another hot one, and Duo was starting to regret that he was wearing his usual colour. There was no improvement when he got outside. There was little breeze, which made the air stuffy.  
He stood by the edge of the road, looking at the passing traffic. A large white car pulled up in front of Duo. The back door opened and Duo got in.  
The inside of the car was quite luxurious. White leather upholstery, in-car T.V, air-conditioning. Duo sat back and relaxed. He was the only passenger in the car, which seemed a bit odd to the American. He thought that Quatre would have met him, at least. He shrugged it off.  
Suddenly the screen in front of him flickered and Quatre's face appeared on it.  
"Hello, Duo." He had a wide grin on his face.  
"Hi there, Quatre." Duo greeted him, sitting forward in the seat.  
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there to meet you, but I've been so busy these past few days, I just couldn't spare the time."  
Duo held up his hands. "No problem, Q-Man. I like the space I've got in here anyway."   
Quatre laughed. "Glad to see you haven't changed."  
Duo smiled in return. "So, what's going on?"  
Quatre looked down and sighed. "I think it would be better if we waited until you get here."  
"That bad, huh?" Duo said, his voice losing a little of it's joviality. "Ok, then, Q-Man. See you in a bit."  
The Arab looked back up again and smiled. "See you." He gave a little wave and the screen went blank.  
The American sat back again and looked out of the window. Quatre didn't get like this unless there was something seriously wrong. He had been told about the attacks, but nothing else. How dire was the situation? A long sigh passed his lips, as outside the car the stone coloured buildings dissipated. Soon, the tree-lined road was the only thing of consequence to look at.  
The car began to slow down as it reached two large, heavy, iron gates. As they neared, the two gates opened with an electronic whir and the car continued through.  
From the gates, a long drive extended forwards to a large ancient building. The car pulled up outside the front door.  
Duo stepped out of the car, and stood in awe at the beautiful building. He slowly walked up the steps leading to the ornate front door. He was about knock on it, but the door was opened before he got a chance.  
An old man stood within, a dour expression on his worn face. "Please come in, sir."  
Duo walked in, patted the old man on the shoulder and continued past him.  
Inside was even more impressive than the exterior. Two winding staircases lined the two side walls, joining in the centre to form a balcony. Antique paintings hung on the walls, and a soft cushiony carpet covered the floor.   
Duo was ushered into a side room. He sat down in a brown leather armchair, and was told to wait there.  
Tapping his fingers on the arms of the chair, the American looked around the room. It was a study of sorts. A good-sized oak desk and matching chair had been placed along the left wall. Several armchairs, the same as the one Duo sat in, were dotted around the room. A bar stood alone in the corner. Along the right hand wall, was a bookcase, packed with books of all kinds. New, antique, fiction and non-fiction, they were all there.  
The door at the back of the room opened slowly, and in stepped Quatre and Trowa.  
Duo stood up, and greeted his two friends.  
"Hey, good to see ya. Nice place ya got here Q-man." He said, motioning to the rest of the room and building.  
Quatre smiled. "Thank you."  
He and Trowa moved to two of the chairs and sat down, Duo following their lead.  
"So, what's really going on?" The American asked.  
Quatre looked over at Trowa who was looking out the window. The blonde haired man swallowed the lump in his throat.  
"I should have told you more in our first conversation, but I wasn't sure the line was safe." He turned around, and reaching over the back of the chair, picked up a pile of papers. He handed them to Duo.  
"Have a look through these. They'll explain better than I can."  
Duo looked through the various pieces of paper and photos. He stopped when one photograph caught his eye. He frowned. "Is this a Gundam?"  
"Yes." Was Quatre's only answer. The American looked confused.  
Quatre sighed. "That's the Mecha that has been attacking the neighbouring Provinces. All that information that is in your hand was given to us by an outside source. We haven't been able to get anything out of the Provinces' governments." He brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "Duo, we haven't been able to contact Heero or Wufei. It's still a possibility that one of them is that Gundam's pilot."  
Duo stood up with anger flaring in his eyes. "What?! That's absurd!" He turned around, walking up to the window. "No way! I don't believe it."  
His usual smiling face was creased with confusion and concern. He turned around to face the Arab and Latino.  
"I don't understand." He began to pace the room.  
For long moments, no one spoke.   
"I'll find them myself." The American chirped up, turning to Quatre and Trowa in resolution.  
Quatre stood up and walked to his friend. "No, Duo." He said, shaking his head. "We've got to concentrate on finding a weak point in the Gundam and it's strategy. I've got someone working on finding out who that pilot is." His large blue eyes looked into Duo's. The American sighed.   
"Ok." It was barely a whisper.  
  
***  
  
Duo sat in his room, leaning back in a stiff leather chair, arms behind his head, legs propped up on a table. He stared into the mirror opposite him, thinking deeply. Why did Quatre and Trowa think those things of Wufei and Heero? Could it be that their two missing friends had turned against them? He refused to believe it. He knew that The Arab and Latino didn't want to either. Maybe they were being a little more realistic than he was.  
The American looked his reflection in the eye. 'Come on Duo. Be serious. These things happen. It's a fact of life. Learn to live with it.'  
Now that he had mentally scolded himself, he turned away from the mirror and looked out the open window that was letting a breeze blow through the room. He blinked several times and then jumped back out of the chair. He had been looking at two silver, unblinking eyes. Staring at the figure crouched on the windowsill, he managed to say.  
"Who are you?"  
The figure said nothing, it just dropped from the window sill onto the plush carpet. Duo saw long, silvery black hair sway behind the figure. Now that it had moved into the light he could see that it was a woman. He smiled timidly.  
"Sorry about that, I don't usually get strange women dropping into my room, especially through the window."  
She glared up at him.  
"Shut up, fool."  
Duo was slightly taken back by this unexpected response.  
"Now hang on a sec..."  
His outburst was silenced by a hand gripping his collar and pushing the material up into his chin.  
"I said shut up. Now, tell me. Where is Trowa Barton?" Her face was close to his, their noses almost touching.  
He blinked several times before answering, a look of impatience flickering in the woman's eyes.  
"In his room, I guess."  
"And where is that?" She hissed at him.  
"Why do you want to see him so urgently?" He said, his suspicion finally showing in his voice.  
"That is none of your business, American."  
Duo raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Well, how are you going to find him, without attracting too much attention, without my help?"  
She threw the braided man onto the floor in annoyance.  
"Quite easily actually. But it would save a lot of hassle if you would co-operate. Don't worry, little man, I wont hurt your friend. We have an agreement." She folded her gloved arms and hands across her chest, looking Duo in the eyes.  
The American picked himself up off the floor, dusting himself down a little.  
He frowned at the woman still looking dubious.  
"Well, ok. But one false move and I'll have to hurt you... bad." He said leering at her, although he was partially joking.  
The woman covered her face with one of her gloved hands, obviously attempting to hide a smile.  
Duo sighed. He motioned to the door and the woman walked to it in two graceful steps. Opening it, she peered out into the long corridor. Now that Duo was behind her, he noticed something that was strapped to her back.   
"What's this?" He asked reaching out to touch what looked like metal. The woman spun round and slapped his hand away.  
"Don't touch that." She growled at him. Her eyes narrowed. Duo backed up two steps.  
"Ok, ok. I was only curious." His eyes were open wide, giving him a very innocent expression.  
It was the woman's turn to sigh. As she turned back to look out into the corridor again, she whispered to him. "Curiosity killed the cat, or in this case, the American."  
She looked down the right and then the left, watching for a sign of the presence of anyone else. Duo rolled his eyes and walked to the door. Pulling it wide open, he stepped out.  
"Look, as long as you're with me, nobody's going to question you. Ok?"  
The woman followed Duo out of the room, hesitantly, still not sure of the American's intentions. She did not respond to his statement, preferring to stay alert for any sign of danger, rather than partake in meaningless conversation.  
As his braid swayed behind him, the young man whistled a little tune. He stepped around a corner and walked up to the second door on the right. Knocking on it lightly, he waited for a response. He felt, rather than heard or saw the woman's presence beside him. She was quite an enigma.  
After several moments, the door opened slowly, and a just awakened Trowa stood in front of Duo.  
"Hey there, pal. I brought someone to see you." He pointed a thumb at the woman beside him.  
Trowa's eyes followed the action. "Neema?" He asked, echoes of sleep still in his voice.  
The woman nodded. "I have some more information for you. Although, I'm sorry to awaken you, I thought you might want this particular data quite urgently."  
Trowa nodded and then turned to go back into his room.  
Neema walked in after him, followed by a slightly bewildered Duo.   
Quatre was sitting on the windowsill looking out at the starry night. He turned when Trowa re-entered the room. He smiled at Neema as she walked in. Although he did have his doubts about her at first, she had proved herself to be a reliable source of information, and now he trusted her.  
She bowed to him. "Master Quatre." She said in greeting.  
Duo raised an eyebrow at this, but wisely kept his mouth shut. The Arab noticed his jovial friend's expression and stood up.  
"Sorry, Duo. We haven't introduced you two yet. Duo, this is Neema Heishiro, our outside source. Neema, this is Duo Maxwell, an ex-Gundam pilot and a dear friend of ours."  
She turned to look at the American, bowing slightly. "I am sorry about how I treated you, American, but it was urgent that I deliver this information, and you weren't being too co-operative." She said the last part with a slight smile on her face.  
Now that she was in full light, Duo could see the odd clothes Neema was wearing. Metal and leather boots clad her legs up to her thighs. The gloves that went past her elbows were made of the same material. A black leather sleeveless tunic-type top, covered her upper torso. A leather belt wrapped around her waist and he could see the pointed metal that was tucked into the belt. Below the belt, a leather wrap covered her down to just above the top of the boots. The leather wasn't plain, but ornately decorated in leather patterns, with some Japanese symbols decorating it. The metal that was strapped to her back, he could see now was a sheath for a sword, most likely a katana, from the shape and design.  
Duo was pulled from his thoughts when Quatre spoke.  
"What is this information, that is so urgent?"  
Neema pulled an object from her belt. It was a small black box, with a few buttons on the side. ' A Dictaphone?' Duo thought.  
Neema held the object by her side. "I had been following the Gundam for several hours, I thought maybe it was returning to its base. But that wasn't so. It encountered a small town on your eastern border. The people of the town were running around in blind panic. Before the Gundam released it's homing missiles on the town, the pilot spoke."  
The three former pilots looked at each other.  
"I can safely say that your two friends are not the pilot of that Gundam."  
Trowa looked at Neema. "Why?"  
"Because." She pressed a button on the Dictaphone. "The pilot is a woman."  
The voice that echoed around the bedroom was most definitely female. Although they couldn't make out what the woman was saying, they knew by the tone that she was angry, even outraged.  
"Who is this woman? What does she want? And more importantly. How the heck did she get her hands on a Gundam?"  
The Arab and Latino men looked at the American as he asked the questions. The Japanese woman continued to listen to the recording of the pilot's voice.  
As the recording stopped she looked up from her thoughts. "I can't answer those questions right now, but, by the Gods, I'll find out."   
She returned the Dictaphone to her belt and moved to the window, staring out into the blackness.  
"Are you going now?" Quatre asked.  
She nodded and opened the window.  
"Out the window?" She could almost see the expression on Duo's face as he said those words.  
Hopping up onto the sill, she looked behind her.  
"I will get some answers." With that, she leapt out of the window, silently.  
"You already have answered one of the most important questions." Quatre whispered.  
Trowa moved to his side, placing an arm around the petite Arab's shoulders.  
Duo rushed to the window, to see a shadow flit into the trees at the edge of Quatre's estate.  
"Hmm... some woman." He muttered.  
He looked back at his two friends and, noticing Quatre's mood, turned to leave.  
"We'll deal with this in the morning. After we all get some sleep." He yawned loudly as he left the room, leaving Quatre and Trowa staring at a closed door.  
Trowa looked down at the Arab. "Get some sleep, little one. I think we all need it."  
Quatre nodded and they both returned to bed.  
  
***  
  
Neema sat against the trunk of a large oak tree. She looked up at the stars. They glinted in the night sky, almost as if they were winking at her. She smiled slightly. Standing up, she moved away from the tree. Breaking into a light jog, she made her way down to the river that made its way through this valley. She splashed noisily through the water, not worrying whether anyone was around at this time. She swam with ease to the other side of the river. It had taken her an hour to reach the border of this Province from Quatre's estate, she had wanted to get more information on the Gundam, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen.  
Every time she followed it, the pilot seemed to evade her before she could see the location of the base. That was, if they were working from a base.  
Neema pulled herself out of the water, and let herself drip dry before continuing on.  
She neared a spinney of trees, and stopped. Was that a snapping noise she had heard? She listened for a little while longer. Nothing. Her ears were playing tricks on her.  
She moved towards the trees, more slowly and stealthily now. She had to be sure that the sound that she had heard moments before, was not caused by anything human.  
As she reached the first tree, she paused. Now she could here something, although what it was, she was unsure. Moving around to the right side of the thick trunked tree, she tried to define what it was she was hearing. It sounded a little like footsteps, and then another noise. Heavy breathing?  
She tensed. What was someone doing out here at this time of night? She loosened the straps at her back, making it easier for her to unsheathe her katana. She moved, in a crouch, past several towering trees, before stopping again. The noises had ceased.   
All her senses were acutely alert now. Had this person detected her? Her right side was protected by a tree, so she concentrated on her left side. She began to scan the foliage in that direction. Still nothing. The silver-eyed woman was beginning to get annoyed. Was she loosing her edge? Normally, she would have found and disposed of this nuisance by now.  
From the corner of her eye she saw the silvery moonlight glint off some form of metal. She ducked and rolled backwards as an object whistled past her face.  
'Damn, that was too close.'  
Quickly reaching behind her, she pulled the katana from its sheath and held it before her, guarding her face. She had already moved several feet back from her last position by the tree. She thought this would give her time to assess the situation.  
Looking up at where she had been crouching, she saw a gold handled dagger protruding from the tree. Whoever had thrown it, had an excellent aim. If she hadn't of been so quick, she would be dead now.  
She looked to her extreme left, once again scanning the foliage. Not even a rustle of a bush.  
She decided to make her move. Leaping up from her crouched position, she ran from tree to tree, trying not to expose herself too much.   
Nothing moved.  
A low whistling sound echoed behind her, causing a thought to flash through her mind. 'He managed to sneak up behind me? How...'  
She brought her katana up as she turned to face her enemy. A clang of metal resounded around the spinney as two swords connected.  
Neema was forced to her knees at the pure force of the impact. She clenched her teeth together as she tried to win the battle of strength. Knowing that it was futile, she rolled away from her opponent, the two blades sliding along each other.  
As she stood, she finally got to see her adversary's face. Their eyes locked.  
A sneer erupted from the man that stood before her. "A woman." He turned away from her.  
Neema felt the blood rushing to her face. "Don't insult me by turning your back, ignorant dog."  
He continued, ignoring her.  
"Fight me. Or are you honourless?" The code of honour Neema followed had been upheld by her ancestors for hundreds of years, she was not about to forget it.  
Her outburst had caught the man's attention. He had stopped walking away from her, and was turning around.  
The look on his face had told her all she needed to know. She had hit a nerve.  
"What do you know about honour, woman?" He spat at her.  
Neema's eyes narrowed. "More than you do. Your little act is so pathetic."  
She could see the black haired man was restraining his anger. He brought his sword up, pointing it in her direction.  
"If you want to die, woman, then so be it."  
Neema smiled slightly. "It is not I that will die."  
The man lunged at her torso, which she easily deflected, moving to his side and slashing at his head. He dodged her blade, swinging his own, but he was slightly off balance and only caught her leather tunic.  
"Damn it." She cursed under her breath.   
She rolled away from him, and pushing her katana forward and up, she aimed at his lower leg. The black haired man jumped over the blade, flipping in mid air and aiming his landing at her back. Instead of moving forward, she strafed to the left, swinging her katana in an upward arc. This caught him off guard and the blade cut into his upper right arm, drawing blood. He stepped backward, cursing.  
"What is your name, woman?" He said, looking down at the injury she had caused.  
Brushing some loose strands of hair out of her face, she breathed the words, "Neema Heishiro. And yours?"  
He looked up at her, a little of the anger was gone from his eyes.  
"Chang Wufei."  
Neema stepped away from him, which caused him to raise an eyebrow.  
She looked at his build. Muscular, but not very tall. His hair slicked back into an almost painful looking ponytail. Those black eyes. Why hadn't she seen it before? She could have very nearly killed this man.  
She laughed a little at herself.  
"Chang Wufei? Disappeared almost five years ago. Your friends have been searching for you for about a week now and I find you out here. How ironic."  
Wufei frowned at her.  
"What are you talking about? How do you know me?" He now stood with his arms crossed, the sword back in its sheath. He obviously thought of her as no threat.  
"I was hired by your friends to collate information on the recent attacks and the Gundam. They were trying to contact all five of the Gundam pilots. Only you and Heero Yuy were unobtainable. They feared that the Gundam was being piloted by one of you." She stood to her full height and replaced her Katana back in its sheath on her back.  
Chang Wufei looked away from Neema, thinking. He looked to the night sky as did Neema. But what she saw there made her gasp. Wufei's forehead creased into a frown.  
"I suggest a strategic retreat." Neema said, backing away from the edge of the spinney.   
Wufei looked at the sky without moving, his arms still crossed.   
Neema glanced back up to the stars. A blue trail streaked across the sky, a dark mass blocking out some of the constellations.  
She glared at Wufei, angry at his stubbornness.   
"Chang, move your ass, now!"   
He turned his head towards her. "Don't order me around, woman."  
She turned away from him and hurriedly moved towards the centre of the spinney. 'Damn fool.' She thought. 'That thing is bound to see him, if he stays there.'  
Jumping up, she grabbed onto a low branch and swung herself onto the limb of a particularly large tree.  
She looked back to the edge of the group of trees. Wufei was no longer in sight. "What the...?"  
A movement from below her attracted her attention. The Chinese man was making his way to the other side of the spinney.  
Neema felt like screaming, but restrained herself and leapt onto another branch, keeping Wufei in sight.  
The sound of a roaring engine passed over Neema's head, rustling the foliage on the trees and blowing her hair in her face.  
She looked up to see the Gundam speeding away from the spinney. It's deep purple markings looked black against the night sky.  
She dropped to the ground and ran to the tree line. Wufei was standing a few feet away to her left. They watched the huge machine continue on its course and then veer straight up toward the heavens.  
"What's she doing?" Neema thought aloud.  
Wufei's head snapped round, "What do you mean, 'she'?"  
Neema smiled. "The pilot of that Gundam is a woman."  
His eyes narrowed. "What? That's impossible."  
"Is it?" The smile faded from her face. "Don't be so arrogant as to think only a man could have the skill and strength to pilot a Gundam."  
She could see he was grinding his teeth together. He turned to look at where the Gundam had been. With a cat-like agility, he leapt back from the tree line, and disappeared into the foliage.  
Neema looked to where the Chinese man had gazed, before he retreated.  
Her eyes widened in shock, the Gundam had turned and was now heading straight towards her at full speed.  
She turned and sprinted into the trees, her hair, in its high ponytail, flowed behind her.  
Her ears picked up the cracking of trees behind her and she knew she had been targeted. Cursing at herself, she tried to keep her position hidden from the Mecha.  
The tree she had just passed, bent and then finally snapped. Diving to the floor, she narrowly missed being hit by the Gundam's shield. As soon as it had passed her, she jumped to her feet and began to run again. As she heard the Gundam turning, she reached the edge of the Spinney. The nearest cover was the wood on the other side of the river. There was no way she would reach it in time.   
She turned to face her attacker. She would not die running from an enemy, like a coward.  
She unsheathed her Katana and took up a defensive stance.  
The Gundam abruptly stopped in front of Neema. The Japanese woman craned her neck up to look at the head of the Mecha.  
A harsh laughing began to echo through the spinney. Neema clenched her teeth.  
"Oh, little fool. You think you can defeat me with that puny sword?" The female voice emanated from the cockpit above the silver haired woman.  
It was Neema's turn to laugh.   
"No. But I will die fighting. I will die an honourable death."  
The harsh laughter returned.  
"Honour? Honour is for the weak!" With those words the Gundam slashed its shield towards Neema. She jumped backwards, but the edge of the metal guard connected with her and she was thrown towards the river. Neema landed heavily on her side, knocking the wind from her body. She lay there for, it seemed, an eternity before catching her breath.  
She saw the Gundam slowly walking up to her, but it seemed like a dream. Her vision was hazy and she felt pins and needles at the back of her eyes.  
'Snap out of it, Neema.'  
She lifted her head off the mossy grass, her vision clearing. She pushed her body up, using her arms as levers. She once again faced the Gundam.  
That same harsh voice spoke. "You're like an annoying little insect that wont die. You don't think that I haven't noticed you following me over the past week, do you?" She laughed again. "Although I must say I'm quite impressed. To keep up with me, you must have a reasonable amount of skill."  
The right arm rose and the rifle was pointed directly at Neema.  
"I'm just trying to decide if I'm in a generous mood today. Should I kill you or just maim you?"  
Neema smiled slightly. "Kill me."  
The right arm dropped to the Gundam's side. "Kill you? I've never met anyone who's so willing to die. But I'm not going to be so lenient as to grant your wish."  
The shoulder of the Gundam opened to reveal a machine gun embedded into it.  
A single shot fired. Neema tried to move to the side, but she still hadn't recovered fully from the impact earlier, and the bullet embedded itself in her left shoulder, pushing her to the ground.  
She lay there eyes wide open, and watched the Gundam leave. She felt no pain at first. Then a fire began to shoot down her left arm, and a stabbing pain continued from there, mercilessly. 'Damn it.' She thought. 'Damn that, Bitch.'  
  



	3. Alpha Iota - Chapter 3

Alpha Iota  
  
Disclaimer: Oh hell, I can't be bothered to write it out again. If you want to know, look at the previous two chapters. Now on with the show!  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Duo played with the end of his long braid. "It's been three days."  
Quatre nodded. "I know."  
The atmosphere in the Arab's mansion was thick and heavy.  
Wufei had shown up at the mansion two days ago and had described his encounter with Neema and then the attack by the Gundam.  
He now sat at the long conference table with the other three ex-Gundam pilots.  
"You know you should have helped her, Wufei." Duo said to the Chinese man.  
He ignored the American.  
Duo slammed his fist down on the table. He was fed up with Wufei's attitude.  
Quatre looked over to the irate American.  
"Duo, please. We have to accept that we've lost our source of information. Questioning Wufei's actions isn't going to change anything." His eyes sparkled with resolution.  
Duo's head sagged. He stood slowly, pushing the chair back with his legs. "I know. I'm sorry." He turned and left the room.  
Quatre sighed. Why did Duo have to be like this? Losing Neema was a setback. He knew, to Duo, they were all being cold about it. Inside, he was upset, but now was not the time to show it.  
"Wufei, how skilled would you say this pilot is?" The blonde haired Arab asked.   
The Chinese man turned his head to look at Quatre, his expression, thoughtful. "Fairly skilled for a woman. She seems in full control of the Mobile Suit." He paused before adding. "I am unsure of her motives. She attacked us mercilessly. It was unwarranted. I think she doesn't want any witnesses to her actions."  
He turned back to look at the wall.  
Quatre took this in slowly. "And Neema lost her life because of it." His voice was soft.  
Trowa stood. "We will have to carry out our own reconnaissance from now on."  
Quatre looked up at him, his blue eyes wide. Trowa put a hand on the Arab's shoulder, comforting him.  
A knock on the door disrupted their train of thought. "Yes?" Quatre acknowledged.  
The door opened slowly and in walked Romért. He bowed slightly.  
"Sire. There is a young woman who wants to see you. She is waiting in the foyer."  
Quatre's eyebrow's raised in surprise. "Who is she?"  
"I don't know, Sire. She wouldn't say. But she seemed quite adamant about seeing you and she didn't look dangerous, so I let her in."  
Quatre smiled slightly as his faithful attendant began to look a bit uncomfortable.  
"That's ok, Romért. I'll see her."  
The Arab moved to the door, Trowa following him. Wufei looked away from the wall to watch them leave.  
Quatre strode through the corridors with purpose. He soon reached the balcony that ran above the foyer. Looking over the side, he saw a woman stood there, waiting for them patiently.   
He stopped at the balcony, staring down.  
He breathed heavily, his body in shock. "Neema?"  
The woman looked up. Neema's eyes met with Quatre's. She smiled, seeing his reaction. "Master Quatre."  
Leaving the balcony, the Arab quickly descended the stairs and stood in front of Neema. He stayed there just looking at her for a few moments. Then, suddenly, he moved towards her and embraced her. Neema's eyes widened, but she put her arms around the petite man to return the hug.  
He pulled away from her, finally. "We all thought you were dead."  
She smiled again. "I don't die that easily."  
"What happened?" By now, Trowa had also descended the stairs and was standing beside Quatre.  
Neema looked away, her smile turned to a frown.  
" I suppose Chang Wufei came back here." Quatre nodded in response. "After he disappeared, the Gundam attacked me. It was hopeless. There was no way I could escape it, so I confronted it. The pilot spoke to me, or rather, insulted me. I believe she would have killed me, if I had not asked for her to." Quatre was about to interrupt, but Trowa stopped him. "Instead she shot me. The bullet impacted my left shoulder. After the Gundam left, I managed to return to my Dojo to tend to my wounds. I was incapacitated for a day or so. But I felt that it was time to come here and report to you." She finished her explanation with a sigh.  
Quatre looked at her with worry on his face. "Are you alright?"  
She smiled at him. "Thank you for caring, Master Quatre, but I assure you I will be fine."  
The Arab smiled back at her, warmly. "Thank, Allah. Will you stay for dinner?"  
Neema was about to decline, but when she saw the expression on the blonde haired man's face, she simply nodded.  
"Please, come this way."   
Neema followed Trowa and Quatre up the stairs. The trio returned to the conference room, where they would be eating.  
As they entered the room, Wufei looked up. Neema stopped in the doorway as she saw him. They looked at each other for long seconds. Quatre looked at them in turn. He spoke to Trowa quietly and then walked to Neema. "I'm going to check on the food, Trowa will fetch Duo, ok?"  
Neema didn't look at him, she just nodded, her expression was stern. She walked further into the room, letting the Arab and Latino leave.  
The silvery haired woman walked to the chair at the end of the long table, pulled it out and sat down, still directing her gaze at the Chinese man. He gazed back at her with black eyes.  
"I see you made it here in one piece." She said, to him, a little bitterness in her voice.  
"As did you." He replied.  
"Why did you run off like that?" She looked at Wufei, calmly.  
He sneered at her. "I don't have to answer your questions, woman."  
She smiled wryly. "Ok, don't answer the woman. Answer the warrior."  
The black eyes blinked. "There was no use dying that day. And I thought you could look after yourself."  
She looked at him, blankly. She hadn't expected that answer. She noted the undertone in the word 'thought', but didn't react to it. "Good answer." She muttered.  
They sat in silence for a long while, before the door was opened. A happier Duo walked in followed by Trowa and Quatre.  
"Hey there, Neema. Didn't expect to see you around." Duo said, sitting down next to her.  
"Life's full of surprises." She responded.  
Neema looked like a different woman to the American. Her hair was flowing down her back, instead of tied up in a high ponytail. She wore a light coloured sleeveless top and a long patterned skirt. Instead of boots, she wore delicate, white shoes.  
"Dinner will be about fifteen minutes." Quatre reported as he sat down next to Duo and Trowa.  
Neema rested her chin on her right hand. "How has the investigation been going?"  
Quatre sat back and relaxed in the chair before replying. "Slowly. But it is progressing. Thanks to your information, Neema."  
Duo sat forward, looking into Neema's silver eyes. "We've still got no idea where that Gundam's base is. But we have a good idea of its capabilities now. At least we can start organising a plan of attack."  
Neema peered looked down at the table, in thought. "What resources has this Province got?"  
The question received no answer. Neema looked up. "I see. Then you're going to have to bring in some from elsewhere."  
She could see from all their expressions that they did not want to resort to that action.  
"What else can you do?" She asked.  
Wufei turned his attention to her. "We have resources we can fall back to."  
Neema raised an eyebrow.  
"Only as a last resort, mind you." Duo interjected. He laughed a little nervously, glancing at Wufei.  
Neema nodded, not pursuing the line of conversation, which Duo was quite relieved about. An uncomfortable silence followed, which was gladly broken when the door was opened by a maid, who was carrying several dishes. She placed them down in front of each of the occupants sat at the table. Next came the cutlery. After a short break, the meal was served. Each of them ate the hors d'oeuvres in silence. The American attempted to start up a little chit chat, but it was soon dropped. A main course of lobster thermidor followed which was accompanied by a full bodied white wine. The break between meals offered the chance of conversation, but no one took it up. They were all encompassed in their own thoughts. After dinner was served and finished, the group retired to a side room, where they sat in comfortable leather chairs, near a roaring fireplace. Duo sighed, comfortably full after the meal.  
"That was gorgeous, Q-Man. Thanks."  
Quatre looked up and smiled at the American. "You're welcome."  
Wufei and Neema were sat at opposite ends of the room to each other. Duo noticed this, and because of the happy mood he was in, decided to rectify the situation.  
"Hey, Wu-Man. Why don't you sit over here?" He said, grinning and patting the seat beside him.  
Wufei looked up. "Don't call me that, Maxwell." He made no attempt to move.  
Neema glanced at the American, thinking the wine had gone to his head.  
She laughed a little at Duo's antics. It felt good to let loose a bit.  
The braided man noticed Neema's reaction. "See, now here's someone who appreciates me."  
Neema rolled her eyes.   
Quatre was trying to hide a smile. He was glad his American friend was here. He always seemed to lighten the mood.  
The group began to talk about past times, Neema interjecting every so often, telling them a little about her previous experiences.  
Quatre and Duo carried on the conversation, reminiscing about their piloting times. Trowa stepped in every so often to explain about the more serious points. While Wufei, stayed silent most of the time, he did mention Nataku a few times.  
It was well into the early hours of the morning before the group thought about getting some rest.  
Neema was the first to stand.  
"I really should be getting back."  
Duo frowned at her.  
"Awww, come on. You should stay here tonight. I'm sure Quatre wont mind." He looked over to the Arab, who looked helpless and simply shook his head.  
"It'll be dangerous for you to travel back tonight.."  
Neema stood looking at the American, her silver eyes blinking several times.  
She sighed, resigning to defeat. "Ok, but I'll have to leave early in the morning. I don't like leaving my Dojo overnight."  
Quatre spoke up. "You live in your Dojo?"  
Neema nodded.  
"That's dedication for you." Duo said, happily as he stood up. "Well, I'm off to bed. See you guys in the morning."  
He walked out of the room, waving.  
Neema sighed as he left. "Is he always that cheerful?"  
"Yes." Quatre laughed.  
Her eyebrows raised. "Isn't that depressing?"  
The Arab laughed again. "No, actually its quite refreshing."  
Neema sat down again. "Where will I sleep?"  
Quatre rose from his seat. "I'll get a room ready for you." He walked to the door and left the room.  
"Thank you." She said to him as he left.  
The Latino, Chinese man and Japanese woman sat in an awkward silence. Eventually, Trowa stood. "Thank you for your company tonight, Neema."  
She nodded to him and he swiftly left the room.  
Neema looked over to Wufei. He seemed content to stare into the fireplace. He was a strange man. He was thoughtful, caught up in his own thoughts. He had a presence that you couldn't ignore, although he made no motion of attracting any attention. She continued to look at him until he noticed her attention upon him.  
His black eyes met with hers.  
"Please, tell me. You have mentioned Nataku, but I am still unsure of what it is."  
Wufei continued to look into her silver eyes.  
"Nataku has two meanings for me. The Nataku that I fought with was my Gundam. Her strength and power brought me strength." He now looked back into the fire, the memories returning to him.  
Neema also looked into the fire, its constant movement, calming her.  
"I know that Nataku is an ancient Chinese legend. Is this the second meaning you speak of?" She did not look at him as she spoke.  
He did not reply. She didn't wish to push the subject any further, their limited understanding of each other was fragile enough.  
She rose from her seat.  
"I wish you a good night's rest, Chang Wufei."  
She left the room before he replied to her.  
Outside was a long corridor. She walked down it, not exactly sure of where she was headed. The corridor forked into a left and a right passage. She decided to take the left. Numerous doors lined this corridor and she was still unable to understand why this amount of money had been put towards the refurbishment of the ruler's home, when it could have been used to the people's benefit.  
Neema heard her name being called behind her. She turned around and Quatre stood at the end of the corridor.  
He walked up to her. "How did you know your room was up this corridor?"  
She smiled at his humour.  
He motioned to the fourth door on the left and she followed him to it.  
"Thank you for your hospitality, Master Quatre." She bowed slightly.  
He stood in front of her. "Please. Call me Quatre. I consider you a friend and it doesn't seem right you calling me, Master."  
Neema blushed. It was a rarity, yet this man had managed to embarrass her with his words.  
"Thank you. It is an honour. I too consider you a friend, Quatre." With those words, she entered the room and closed the door behind her.  
  
***  
  
Wufei leaned back into the leather chair as Neema left the room. He raised his eyes from the fireplace. It had been a fruitless night. No work had been done, but in some ways he had learnt a lot.  
This Neema, that Quatre relied on so heavily for information, was turning out to be quite the little fighter. He hadn't expected her to survive the Gundam attack. Maybe he had underestimated her. That would not be a mistake he would make in the future.  
He had listened intently to her as she had told of her past, although no one had realised.  
He replayed those tales in his mind.  
She had been brought up in a Ninja village. When she was still young, her village had been attacked, the village had been destroyed, and for all she knew all other inhabitants had been killed. Since then, she had been on her own, surviving on the skills she had learnt and adapting them. About seven years ago, just as the colony wars were starting, she opened her own Dojo. She was still young then and the people had laughed at her. But she still continued.  
To his, chagrin, Wufei had found himself admiring her courage. She had told of one mission, but he hadn't listened to it, too intent on his own thoughts.  
Wufei relaxed now, as he was away from the other people's presence.  
He had wished the Japanese woman hadn't mentioned Nataku again. His mind began to wander back to his piloting days. He still envisioned Nataku and her glorious form as she fought with him.  
Wufei stood, shaking himself out of his nostalgia. He should stop this foolishness and concentrate on the task at hand. This new Gundam peaked his interest, and what was even more surprising was that a woman was piloting it. He still couldn't get his head around it.   
Walking out the room, he decided to concentrate on the problem in the morning.  
He was soon in his room and sleeping soundly in the plush double bed.  
  
***  
  
Trowa sat on the smooth, cool concrete outside one of the rear doors of the large house. The moonlight streamed down on the silent soldier, lighting his face and the laptop, resting on his crossed legs. A slight breeze ruffled his hair as he stared down at the screen. He was only wearing a tan coloured pair of trousers, leaving his chest bare. The Latino leant back against the stone wall, taking a deep breath. He hadn't been able to sleep, so, deciding to work instead, he had slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake the sleeping Quatre as he did so. This crisis had effected the Arab more than he wished to admit. Trowa saw through his attempts to hide it, noticing the weary look in his eyes and how his shoulders now sagged. Trowa tried his best to encourage him, but to no avail.  
A flash from the laptop's screen interrupted the brown haired man's thoughts. A sub window had just appeared over the main window on the screen. A woman was speaking. It looked like a news report. Trowa reached for the volume control on the side of the keyboard and turned it up. His expression darkened as he heard what the report was about. Standing swiftly up, he hastily entered the building, carrying his laptop with him.  
  
***  
  
Quatre opened his eyes slowly as he heard someone enter his room. The person had made no attempts to keep quiet, which annoyed him slightly. The Arab rolled over.   
"Trowa?" His eyes hadn't yet accustomed to the dark, but he could feel the bed was empty beside him.  
"Yes." Answered a familiar voice.  
"What are you doing up?" Quatre asked as he sat up, the covers falling to his waist.  
"I couldn't sleep." Trowa sat on the bed, next to Quatre. "I thought you would want to be the first person to see this."  
He pulled the laptop onto the bed and opened it, the screen casting light onto both of them.  
Quatre looked at Trowa's face before looking to the screen. His eyes widened. "What?" He continued to stare at the images that that were continuously moving on the laptop's display. "How?"   
His gaze met with the Latino's, who simply shook his head.  
The Arab blinked several times, a look of worry on his face. "How did they find out about the Gundam? I know it was inevitable but... so soon?" He stared down at the blanket. "How do I explain this to the people?" His hand reached up to rub his forehead, brushing strands of hair out of his face.  
Trowa moved closer to him, placing an arm around the smaller man's bare shoulders. "We have talked about this before, little one. Do what you feel is best."  
Quatre's blue eyes looked up at the Latino. He rested his head against the bigger man's chest, slipping his arms around his torso. Trowa looked down and softly kissed the Arab's blonde hair.   
They sat there for a few minutes longer, before the brown haired man moved gently away from the blonde. "We must inform the others." He said.   
Quatre nodded and slid out from underneath the covers. Trowa stood, retrieved his shirt from the chair and put it on. While waiting for Quatre to dress, he began to search for any other broadcasts on the Gundam. Noticing that four more stations were transmitting related information, he mentally noted that the situation may escalate into one of panic and treachery. The Gundam's pilot was bound to have seen the broadcasts, and by now would have deduced that Quatre's Province was organising an offensive. They would have to be far more alert now than they had been so far.   
Trowa's thoughts were interrupted when Quatre leaned over his shoulder, whispering in his ear. "What have you found?"  
Trowa's green-eyed gaze shifted from the screen to Quatre. "More stations are transmitting information about the Gundam to the public."  
Quatre frowned. "How are they getting the information, not to mention the footage?"  
Trowa shook his head and lifted his laptop. "I don't know. But we will find out." He moved towards the door and opened it, allowing Quatre to leave before him.  
  
***  
  
"Someone must be leaking information to the outside." Duo waved his hands in the air to accentuate the statement.  
Quatre sighed. "That's easy to say, Duo, but we have no proof. We don't know where to start to look for this perpetrator."  
Wufei stood at this statement, his figure silhouetted by the light entering through the tall window. "Try within these walls."  
The three other ex-Gundam pilots turned to look at the Chinese man. "Eh?" Duo muttered.  
Wufei walked forward, towards the American. "What better source of information is there, but within these walls? And it is plainly obvious that it would be simple for someone working or living here to obtain the information." His black eyes bore into the braided haired man. Duo raised an eyebrow and finally nodded. "Ok, I know that, but wouldn't we have noticed if someone had taken the papers and such?"  
Wufei shook his head. "The papers weren't taken, or at least not for long." He turned away from the American and walked to the window.   
Trowa had been watching the others in his usual silence, but now he spoke up. "One of us shall watch the information at all times. But from the shadows. We do not want the culprit to know we have caught on."  
"That's right." Duo said. "We'll get the Bastard." He punched a fist into his other hand. He smiled. "Who's up for first watch?"   
The American looked around at the other men. He stepped backwards as he realised they were all looking at him, intently. "What? Me?"   
Quatre responded with a smile and a nod. Duo rolled his eyes, but didn't complain any further.  
The Arab pushed himself up from the stiff wooden chair. "If you stay in the adjacent room, then you should be able to hear anything that happens in here." He looked over to the desk that contained all the information and photographs they had managed to collate.  
"Ok. Then I'd better get to work." He said, rubbing his hands together. He walked quickly over to the door, opened it, and left, waving as he disappeared.   
  
***  
  
Duo had been sitting in the small side room for several hours. He had tried to stay as still as possible, listening for any sound from the next room. After the others had left, everything had been silent. The American was now lying on the only couch in the room, his legs hanging over the arm. It was dark in the room, the thick curtains blocked out any light that could have gotten in through the window.  
He wondered if the person who had been leaking the information would come at all, now that it was plastered all over the news. Perhaps the perpetrator thought they would lie low, waiting for the crisis to cool down. He shrugged. There was no use speculating.  
Duo's head jerked up as his ears picked up a sound. He slowly moved to a sitting position. No further noises followed the first. Moving to his feet, he edged his way to the door, placing his left ear against the wood.  
A rustling noise was coming from the adjacent room. He frowned. This was it. Wufei's hunch had been right.   
He grabbed the handle and twisted it, careful not to make any noise. The door opened a crack. Light from the next room flowed into the side room.   
Deciding on a more direct approach, Duo pushed the door fully open and ran into the room. The culprit was bent over the desk, rifling through the papers.  
"Stop right there!" Duo shouted at the figure. He couldn't see who it was. Their back was faced to him, but the figure tensed, unmoving. The American rushed forward, wanting to make sure the culprit didn't get away.  
"Stand up and face me. Don't make any foolish moves." He ordered the figure, which did exactly as it was told.  
Duo's eyes widened. "Romért? Why?"   
He hadn't expected Quatre's faithful attendant.  
The older man sneered at Duo. "That's none of your business."  
The American stood still, slightly shocked. The man had always been so kind and loyal. Who was he really?  
Suddenly, Romért reached inside the coat he was wearing and pulled out a pistol, pointing it at Duo's chest. "I'm afraid I can't let you live."  
"Wha..." Duo's words were interrupted when the attendant pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced the American's chest, sending him sprawling backwards. He grabbed at the entry point, blood oozing through the black cloth.  
Romért laughed at the young man's pain. He turned from him and exited the room, not worried about the fact that Duo wasn't dead yet.  
Duo's brain registered the fact that the attendant had left, but his body was unwilling to do anything about it.  
The American cried out in pain as the blood continued to flow though his shirt and fingers. He writhed on the floor, tears flowing from his eyes as the pain increased.  
"No... I can't die yet." The words came out as a faint whisper, combined with a gurgling that erupted from the back of his throat. He could taste the blood in his mouth as he forced his body to turn from his back and onto his side. A small trickle of blood ran from his mouth and down his cheek to slowly pool on the floor, mixing with the tears already there.  
Duo began to feel his eyelids getting heavy, the urge of sleep beginning to overwhelm him. 'No, I can't close my eyes. If I do, I know, I'll never wake up.' He re-ran the thought over and over in his mind, forcing the feeling away.  
The American moved his head slightly so he could see the door. "Quatre... Trowa... Wufei... Where are you?" Another faint whisper emerged from his lips.   
His tears were stinging his eyes and the pain was unbearable. His mind drifted. 'If only Heero were here. Then everything would be alright.' A wry smile passed across his lips, before he finally succumbed to the drooping of his eyelids.  
  



	4. Alpha Iota - Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
The heavy wooden door was flung open. The Chinese man paused in his haste. The air was thick with the smell of blood. His mind raced. He had heard the gun shot, but who had fired it? Scanning the room, his thought was immediately answered.  
"Duo." He rushed to the American's side.  
Kneeling down, he turned him onto his back. The braided man was still gripping at his chest, blood flowing freely through his tensed fingers.  
Wufei stared at the wound, his expression grim.  
Duo's eyes were closed. Wufei leant his head down to listen for any signs of breathing. The American sucked in a ragged, painfully slow breath.  
Removing the American's hand from the wound, the Chinese man tried to inspect the damage. He had lost a lot of blood, and Wufei was unsure if the bullet had pierced Duo's heart.   
Grasping the shirt he unbuttoned the black material. Wufei frowned. The American's chest was covered in the dark red blood. The Chinese man tore a large strip of the shirt away from the rest of the material and bandaged the wound as best as he could. As he tied the two ends together, Duo's body twitched. Wufei glanced up at his face. His usual joyful features were now contorted in pain, his eyelids parted slightly.  
"Wufei?" The Chinese man could hardly hear the whisper that emerged from Duo's lips.  
"Yes. Stay still and don't speak."  
Duo grabbed at Wufei's arm, staining the sleeve of his white shirt with his blood.  
"Romért..."  
"I said don't speak, Maxwell." His voice was harsh, but he was truly worried that Duo would die if he didn't get him treated immediately.  
"No... listen. Romért is the leak." Duo gritted his teeth as another wave of pain rushed through his chest.  
"Romért? The attendant?" Wufei was a little surprised at this announcement, but quickly brushed it off, more concerned with Duo's well being. " Now do as you're told."  
Duo managed a faint smile. Wufei stood and looked over at the door.   
"I need to go get you some help. Don't try to move, and don't die on me."  
He walked swiftly out of the room, quickening his pace when he reached the corridor. He finally stopped at the end of the hallway, grabbing the handset of a phone that was fixed to the wall. He pressed the zero button and held the receiver to his ear.  
A deep voice spoke on the other end. "Hello, Security Office."  
"Get the doctor up to the conference room immediately."  
"Err, right."  
"And, has Romért left the estate yet?"  
"Romért? He's just about to go through the gates."  
"Stop him and arrest him."  
"Right."  
Wufei replaced the handset and jogged back to the conference room. He entered the room and scowled. "What did I tell you, Maxwell?"  
Duo smiled weakly back at the angry looking Wufei. He had managed to pull himself up to the table and was now slouched in one of the stiff-backed wooden chairs. "I was uncomfortable."  
"Of course you were uncomfortable. You've been shot, baka." He strode over to him. "You could have done yourself more damage."  
The American's head lolled to one side, but his eyes were still focused on Wufei. "I didn't know you cared so much."  
The Chinese man was about to retort, but he snapped his mouth shut again when the loud sound of many footsteps told him that the doctor was running down the corridor.  
A dishevelled middle aged man burst into the conference room, followed by a worried looking Quatre.  
The doctor quickly moved to Duo's side, removing the bandage and inspecting the wound.  
"What happened?" Quatre stared at Duo, his eyes wide, taking in his pale deathly pallor and the blood that was smeared on his chest.  
"Romért shot him when Duo confronted him about stealing the information."  
Quatre's head jerked up to look at Wufei. "Romért?" His voice betrayed the shock he felt.  
Wufei simply nodded in response.  
  
***  
  
Romért sat on the bare floor inside the security office, his hands tied behind his back. Two security guards stood in front of him.  
He looked up at them.  
"I still don't understand why I'm being treated this way. There must be some sort of mistake."  
The taller security guard grunted without looking at the older man. The other guard looked down at Romért, feeling pity for him.  
"No, I'm afraid not, mate. We were definitely told that it was you we should arrest. I don't know the reason behind the order though."  
Romért's eyes narrowed, and a sneer formed on his face.  
"You're pathetic, you know that. Following orders so blindly shows that you have no will of your own."  
The two security officers looked down, their eyebrows raised in surprise.  
"What?"  
Romért smiled, breaking into laughter. He suddenly stopped when the only door in the room, was opened from the other side. He went pale as he saw the person entering the security office.  
Quatre's face was bitter, his eyes seemed to pierce Romért's heart.  
"M-master Quatre."  
Quatre frowned.  
"Why do you still call me that?"  
Romért whimpered. This was the only thing he had feared. A confrontation with his master. Although he had decided to discontinue his service with Quatre, he did care for him.  
"You betrayed my trust, Romért. And my friendship. That is something I can never forgive you for."  
The older man looked away from the Arab.  
"I'm sorry." The words were barely a murmur from the former attendant's lips, but Quatre heard them.  
The blonde man shook his head, his features softened.  
"You will have to be punished, Romért. I cannot allow any further information to be leaked out."  
With those words, he turned his back on his once faithful servant and left the room, stopping only once to signal the guards to hand Romért over to the proper authorities.  
  
***  
  
Duo sat up in the hospital bed, his eyes glued to the television. Sunlight filtered in through the partially open window, accompanied by a slight breeze.  
The room was painted purely white, the bedclothes and nightwear were the same. This had frustrated the American at first. The nurses had refused to let him wear his own clothes, saying that they were too dark to wear in this weather.  
Duo reached for the television control and switched it to another channel.  
"Oh, wow. Quatre's on TV." His eyes had opened wide, giving him the look of a child. He smiled, but it soon faded when he heard the words his friend was speaking.  
'This must be tough for him.' The American thought.  
Quatre's face was contorted in a mixture of emotion. Worry, sadness, restrained anger, they were all evident on the Arab's features.  
'That crowd 'aint helping, either.'  
Duo swung his legs out of the bed and stood. He winced slightly at the pain in his chest, but continued to walk to the door. He grabbed the white flannel dressing gown and left the room.  
Once he was out in the corridor, he turned left, keeping out of sight of any nurses or doctors. He jogged down the plain passageway until he reached a set of double doors. He peered through the window and on seeing two nurses walking his way, dived round a corner.  
"Excuse me." Duo felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun round and saw a doctor with his arms crossed, giving him a disapproving look.  
"Um, hi."  
"You should be in your room, shouldn't you?"  
"Oh, I was just taking a walk."  
"Uh-huh, and that's why you're hiding round this corner from those two nurses."  
Duo smiled. "Heh, yeah. I was going to jump 'em, you see. They're pretty good looking."  
The doctor frowned. "You're not a very good liar. Now, will you please go back to your room."  
"Alright, I'll go back. You people love spoiling my fun, don't you?"  
The doctor's frown didn't leave his face. "Lead the way."  
Duo looked behind him, before returning his attention to the doctor.  
"Oh, I think I can manage to get back by myself."  
"Don't give me that. I wasn't born yesterday."  
Duo rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry."  
The doctor raised an eyebrow. "For what?"  
With the agility of a cat, the American leapt forward and tackled the doctor to the ground. A quick punch to the face, finished the job off.  
"For that."   
Duo slipped out of his dressing gown and replaced it with the doctor's jacket. Buttoning it up, he hid the unconscious doctor in the nearest room and set off through the double doors.  
The American glanced quickly from side to side before walking quickly through the maze of corridors that led to the main entrance.   
Once out in the fresh air, he breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Phew, I thought I was never going to get out of there."  
His gaze examined the people that were entering and exiting the hospital, the road, and the different means of transport. He smiled.  
"Now, to get back to the others. He laughed a little. He knew they would be angry at him for leaving the hospital in his condition.  
Shrugging, he walked away from the white stone building.  
  
***  
  
Quatre walked down the steps that led off the speaking stand. He sighed.  
"Don't worry."  
The Arab looked up into green eyes and smiled.  
"Thank you for being here, Trowa."  
"How could I not?"  
Quatre grasped his lover's hand for a moment before leaving the press building.  
Once outside, the two men settled themselves in the waiting limousine.  
"That is an experience I do not want to repeat."  
Trowa looked at Quatre, his eyes showing his affection towards the Arab.  
"Well, hopefully, that'll settle things down, and we can concentrate on solving the Gundam problem."  
Trowa nodded in agreement.  
Quatre raised an eyebrow as the comms alert sounded. He pressed the button on the console.  
"Who would know this number?" He muttered.  
His eyes widened as the familiar face of his American friend appeared in front of him.  
"Duo?"  
"Hi there, Q-man." His usual smile was back, which relieved Quatre.  
"Why are you calling me? You should be in bed, recovering."  
"Ah, well, you see... I'm not at the hospital anymore."  
"What?"  
"Before you start reprimanding me, let me explain."  
Quatre sighed.  
"You'd better have a really good explanation."  
Duo grinned.  
"Well, you know me. I can never sit still for long, and well, I was feeling much better, and seeing you on TV just gave me a surge of energy..."  
Quatre frowned.  
"Duo... I said a good explanation."  
The American chuckled a bit.  
"I'm sorry, Q-man."  
Quatre sighed.  
"It doesn't matter now. Where are you?"  
"At your place. Don't worry, Wu-man's already given me a lecture about being irresponsible or something."  
"Ok, we'll be back in about an hour. Try not to overexert yourself."  
"Who? Me? Like I would."  
  
***  
  
Neema sat on a bench in the equipment room of her Dojo. She flicked through a pad of paper, glancing up every so often to check that the figures on the pad coincided with the number of items in the room.  
She looked towards the door, frowning slightly.  
Were her ears playing tricks on her or had she actually heard something?  
She stood and moved towards the door. The last time she had thought that, there had been something solid that caused the noise and not her imagination.  
She pushed the door open gently. It creaked and she winced at the noise.  
Peering out into the darkness of the training area, an expression of uncertainty passed across her face. She couldn't see what could have been the source of the noise. Stepping into the training room, Neema glanced around.  
"Why don't you show yourselves?"  
She had noticed movement at the far end of the room. There appeared to be three or four men hiding in the shadows.  
A grunt answered her statement.  
As the men walked out of the deeper shadows, the dim moonlight revealed that Neema's evaluation had been right.  
"Why are you here?"  
A low gravelly laughter echoed around the dark training room.  
"We're here to kill you."  
Neema's eyebrows rose.  
"Oh? And how do you think you're going to manage that?"  
"Like this."  
She heard a click from the darkness. Knowing that it was the sound of a firearm being cocked, Neema rolled to the side and leapt forward. Because of the cover of darkness, the bullet missed its target. Neema grabbed the arm of the nearest male and with a sharp jerk, snapped it at the elbow. He yelped in pain and staggered forward, dropping the gun in the process. Now that she had the advantage over him, she pivoted on her left leg and brought the right one up to connect with the man's neck. A sickly sound of breaking bone and tearing tendons resounded around the Dojo.  
The man fell to the floor, dead.  
Neema had just regained her footing, when she felt a fist connect with her back. The impact sent her sprawling forward. She tried to recover as best as she could, by rolling and landing in a crouch, ending up several feet away from her attacker.  
She heard the breathing of the other two males to her right, but her attention was on the one in front of her, the one who had hit her.  
Standing once more, she rested her hand on her hip.  
"Is that the best you can do?"  
The man growled deep in his throat and ran towards her. She turned into the attack, succeeding in knocking the male off balance. He lashed out at her and Neema was forced to block instead of attack. As she blocked, she dropped to the floor and swept her leg in an arc along the floor, knocking the man's legs out from under him.   
He fell heavily, partially on top of Neema. She kicked the man off of her and leapt to her feet. Not considering him a threat at the moment, she turned to the other two men.  
"Quite impressive, but I'm afraid you're going to have to die now."  
Neema smiled slightly and motioned for the men to try.  
One of them drew a 10" knife from his belt. He lunged at Neema. She jumped backwards to avoid the blade.   
She was near to the wall now, and to a source of weapons. Along the wall was a line of ornamental katanas some bought, some donated, and some inherited.  
She grasped the hilt of the nearest one and unsheathed it. She spun round to face the knifeman. A clash of metal echoed around the room, followed by the knife clattering on the floor. The man backed off, suddenly doubtful whether they would be able to kill this woman without a suitable weapon. Obviously deciding against it, he turned and ran out of the Dojo, followed by his associate. The man that Neema had floored, attempted to rise and follow his comrades.  
He found the tip of the katana at his throat.  
"You're not going anywhere."  
The man scowled.  
"Just kill me."  
Neema knelt down in front of him, so her eyes were level with his.  
"Not until you tell me who sent you."  
"I'll never tell you."  
"We'll see about that."  
  
***  



End file.
